The Wager(40)

“Sure.” Char got into the car and was reminded yet again how many straws she was attempting to grasp by even thinking she could be with a guy like Jake. He was playing with her: that was his angle. The minute she was gone he’d call Legs. “Where to first?”

“Well.” He put the car in drive. Merciful God above, what was he wearing? What type of cologne was that? She leaned forward and felt her face flush when she actually shivered at his scent.

“What are you doing?” Jake asked. The car was back in park. His eyes were twinkling with amusement.

“Er.” Char jerked away. “Just helping you see.”

“See?”

“The traffic.” She pointed behind them to nonexistent cars going by them in the parking garage.

“I think I’ll be okay on my own.” He winked and continued backing out while Char prayed for the car to swallow her whole.

“So this restaurant.” Changing the subject, she dug into her purse for some lip gloss. “It’s by the cake place?”

“Yup.”

“Cool.”

Holy crap. Was it going to be this awkward the entire time? “Thanks, for the flowers. They were really pretty.” There, she made her peace.

“They were yellow.” Jake pointed out as he maneuvered the car onto third street.

“Right,” Char said slowly.

“That means forgiveness.”

“Okay.”

“Just thought you should know.” He shrugged.

“Jake, you didn’t do anything wrong.”

He didn’t say anything. Just kept driving while Char managed not to look like a dog in heat as his smell continued to radiate off of him.

Jake pulled the car into a parking spot by a small restaurant and ran around it to help Char out. “I know it looks like a hole in the wall but it’s really good. I promise.”

The building was old and brick, like most buildings in downtown Seattle. The door to the restaurant was red, and spray-painted beside it was the word “Fork”. Hmm. She shrugged and followed him inside.

People were scattered about, sitting at mismatched tables with checkered tablecloths topped with giant glasses of wine. Hmm, maybe she would like this place after all. Jake grabbed her hand, took her to the corner table, and pulled out her chair.

“You already ordered?” She pointed to the full wine glasses on the table.

“Nope.” He grinned. “That’s how the tables are. The wine is all inclusive, as much as you want, at all times. The first glass is always the house wine and then they bring you whatever your preference.”

“Holy crap.” Char looked lustfully at the glass of wine. “You’ve brought me to heaven.”

His smile was so large that Char gasped before looking down at the menu on the table. It was handwritten on a small chalkboard that sat like a placemat by her silverware.

“You like it?” he asked.

“I love it.” Char met his gaze and smiled.





Chapter Twenty-four


It had been an accident. He’d only meant to order one damn flower. But then he thought of Char’s dejected face, and how sad she’d looked when she got out of the car. So he ordered a few more. It was seriously like he had no control over his mouth as he talked to the florist.

When the florist asked why he was sending flowers, well. That’s when things spiraled out of control. Because he couldn’t help that his imagination began conjuring up images of what Char’s face would look like when she went to work and saw her desk littered with flowers. He was convinced nobody had ever taken the time to do something nice for her. He’d bet his life on it.

So fine. It had been excessive.

Perhaps too excessive.

But it was a peace offering. Whoever said peace offerings couldn’t be excessive? He’d wanted her to feel good.

Mission accomplished.

Until he saw her face again.

He really needed to stop seeing her in person. It was making him feel things he didn’t want to feel, like vulnerable and stupid.

And now she was looking at him like that again. The same look girls got on their faces when they were falling. Normally he hated it. But now? He craved it. Slowly, she was ruining him. He wasn’t sure if he should run the other way or just kiss her and get it over with. But that same irritating fear was still blocking all logical thought, making him re-think every damn choice.

He knew he was an ass and didn’t deserve her. He also knew he would most likely mess up and she’d hate him.

And then there was also his past with women. Add that on top of all the shameful things he’d done to Kacey and he wasn’t sure he could trust himself, let alone allow someone else to put their trust in him.

With a sigh he looked back down at the menu and tried to find something to order. Everything looked fuzzy; nothing sounded good, nothing but her.